LEVITICUS – A HOLY PEOPLE’s ACCESS to The HOLY GOD – Chapter SEVEN & EIGHT

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Leviticus by pastor Chuck Smith 

LEVITICUS 7 AND 8: “ORDAINED UNTO THE LORD” – by Albert Lopez, Facebook video.

INTRODUCTION: We finished chapter 6 and pastor James showed us that all these sacrifices we read about and continue to read about shows us and points us to our Lord and Savior Jesus; who himself was the perfect sacrifice to pay for all sin and be able not just to cover but to take away the sin of the world through his loving sacrifice.
We also learned that we ought to love one another with the same quality of love. With a Godly love that comes from Jesus. That is how people will know we are his disciples.

LEVITICUS 7

LEVITICUS 7:1-10

Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy. 2 In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar. 3 And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, 4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away: 5 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a trespass offering. 6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy. 7 As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it. 8 And the priest that offereth any man's burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered. 9 And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it. 10 And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.

Verse 1: Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy. 

The law of guilt offering: This was mandatory. It was made by a person who had either deprived another of his rights or had defrauded (cheat) God’s holy things.

One example given is someone who had leprosy- as we find out in the bible; leprosy is a representation of sin.

We are all lepers before we come to Christ who represents the officiating priest who is carrying out this sacrifice.

Not only does he represent the High Priest but also represents the sacrifice- He is the perfect sacrifice because; The sacrifice is the sacrifice that is guiltless and without blemish. As pastor James reminded us; He is the Lamb of God who takes - not covers - away the sin of the world. If you recognize that you are a leper and you want to be made clean cry out to him and he will cleanse you and transform you!

We read again about the burnt offering - This burnt offering was voluntary; but its significance was propitiation for sin, and complete surrender, devotion and commitment to God.
We find an example of this back in Genesis 22 when God tested Abraham and said to him Go and sacrifice Isaac ; your only son on one of the mountains that I will show you. 

When we read the story we find out that God was testing Abraham’s heart and did not allow him to go through with the sacrifice. He even provided the ram that was caught or stuck by the horns and offered it in the place of his son.

This story shows us a picture of what would happen to God’s only Son; but there would be no ram to replace him as the sacrifice. For he was the sacrifice! He was all that was needed to make propitiation and appease the wrath of God that was due (that was our payment or wages we deserved) He payed for our sins and was offered as a sweet aroma to God once and for all.

There is more detailed instructions that follow in verses 2-10 regarding the guilt offering along with grain offering; in verse 5 it says the priest were to burn the fat and these parts described on the altar because it was an offering to the Lord.
We need to also remember that these laws came from the Lord. They always had a purpose to them; God didn’t just make laws to make laws. Like anything else; it was for the good of the people and for His glory.

We saw at the end of Exodus that the Lord was revealing himself to his redeemed people when His Glory and His presence dwelt among them.
In order for the Lord to reside with Israel, it was extremely important that the people maintain a holy character and ethical behavior. This was carried out by the orders that the children of Israel were to follow to maintain this relationship holy, because God was holy, holy, holy. This was done through atonement and ritual cleansing.

As we said before the atonement was done through Jesus Christ. He reconciled us to God through his sacrificial death and He became the ultimate sacrifice. All of these animal sacrifices could not atone permanently only the perfect sacrifice would do that. Because of this act of love, the children of God have the hope that whether we live or die, we will be with God for eternity. We are being made Holy through the Holy Spirit to prepare us to see Him face to face.

Verses 11-19: And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. 12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. 13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. 14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings. 15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. 16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offers his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten: 17 But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. 18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offers it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eats of it shall bear his iniquity. 19 And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.

We come back to the fellowship offering. As pastor James had said and as we read here, the sin offering and guilt offering are before fellowship offering.
The forgiveness of sin is required to have fellowship with a Holy God. This fellowship offering is voluntary, so this symbolizes fellowship with God. It was also known as a peace offering. That is why like Pastor Sonny put it the people were able to enjoy a BBQ or carne Asada with God. They were at peace with God through these sacrifices.

ROMANS 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, [a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

ACTS 10:36
Saying these words to Cornelius and the gentiles which includes us: The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching [x]peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)

Verse 12 says, "mixed or coated with oil"; again reminding us that this symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Everything we do is to be done with his guidance. That’s why we are told in Galatians. 5: If we live by the Spirit then let’s follow the Spirit. We are told to not be filled with wine but be filled with the Spirit. Why?

Jesus tells us in: 

JOHN 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.

The third person of the triune God is God so there is no one better that knows what God wants from us; then God.

And Paul reminds us in:

1 CORINTHIANS 2:10-11
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God.

Verses 20-21 But the soul that eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

That person is to be cut off; If the person who ate the sacrifice was ceremonially unclean, he was cut off, which meant either excommunicated from worship, or premature death by the intervention of God:

LEVITICUS 22:3b
While he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from My presence; I am the LORD.

The guilty person was usually removed or expelled and in extreme cases killed.
This warning was given because of the communal nature of the fellowship offerings.
1 COR 11:27-32 contains a similar warning against those who took the Lord’s supper unworthily. Paul the apostle admonishes the Corinth believers to examine themselves to make sure they are not taking the Lord’s supper unworthily. He tells them that if someone does take the Lord’s supper in an unworthy manner there will be consequences. Such consequences mean that some are weak and sick and some even sleep or have a premature death going back to being cut off like we been talking about in Leviticus.

Verses 22-27 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. 24 And the fat of the beast that dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. 25 For whosoever eats the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eats it shall be cut off from his people. 26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eats any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

An offering’s fat and blood belonged to the Lord, and they could not be eaten. Leviticus 3 reminds us that All fat belongs to the Lord. The fat was the best portion, and the blood represented the life of the animal that had been surrendered to God. The blood was to be properly drained from the sacrifice before the meat was eaten. Further in Leviticus God gives a detailed explanation on the blood.

LEVITICUS 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.

We can see that this was pointing to the precious blood of our Lord Jesus which would be sacrificed at Calvary to make atonement for our souls.

HEBREWS 9:12 puts it this way:
and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption.

On a side note: Through the story we read about with Peter having a vision from God in which God told him to kill and eat ; Peter refused three times because the animals in the vision were unclean in Peter’s eyes; this was because he was brought up as an observant Jew, not to eat anything unclean (See ACTS 11).
God responded by telling him that what he has proclaimed clean and holy is clean and holy. This was a vision that was given to him to show him that salvation was for all. The gospel  is for the Jew and also for the Gentile. That includes you and me church, and anyone who would believe the gospel.

Verses 28-38 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation unto the Lord of the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord. 31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. 32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.

34 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel. 35 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office; 36 Which the Lord commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations. 37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; 38 Which the Lord commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai.

In these last verses We see the generosity of the Lord toward his servants, the priests! We are told what portion or what part of the sacrifice belonged to the priests. This would be Aaron and his sons and the officiating priest. They were given the breast which symbolized that the sacrifice had been accepted by the Lord.

The expression presentation or wave offering. The worshiper presented the sacrifice as a dedication gift or elevation offering to the Lord.

The officiating priests received the right thigh. The breast and the thigh were meaty portions that were provided regularly for the priestly family.
We the church being a spiritual priesthood like pastor James put it we are separated from the world and sin, truly devoted to God, have the blessed benefit from the sacrifice of Christ, and truly feed upon him in our hearts. He is the living bread, and oh how we need this bread daily!

LEVITICUS 8

LEVITICUS 8:1-9

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3 And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done. 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. 8 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. 9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses.

...take Aaron: This begins what was detailed in EXODUS 29. Just as Aaron was a mediator for the nation, Israel was to function as a priesthood to the nations as God said back in Exodus.
Christians serve as witnesses to the priesthood of the perfect High Priest, Who is Jesus:

1 PETER 2:5
you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Just like the Israelites had to follow a sacrificial system we too follow but not a system we are led by the Holy Spirit of God in order for our sacrifice which by the way is a living sacrifice becomes acceptable to God.

Verses 3-5 And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done. 

The service was a public display to assure the community of the legitimacy of the Aaronic priesthood.

Verse 6: And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

They were all washed with water: Aaron underwent a ceremonial washing to show the moral purity required of priests.

1 PETER 3:21
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Here these verse talks about baptism explaining to us that in baptism; we are put to death in the flesh but are made alive by the Holy Spirit. That’s what Jesus was telling Nicodemus in:

JOHN 3:5
 Unless a man is born again of water and spirit a heavenly birth. He cannot see nor enter the kingdom of God.

The washing is continual: in the fact that we are continually washed by the word of God. Through his word Jesus as it says is faithful and just and cleanses us of all sin.

Verses 7-9 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. 8 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. 9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses.

The sacred garments of the priest gave them glory and beauty in the eyes of the congregation. They were the mediators of the nation in the presence of the Lord. So God made them look good fitting for a Kingdom!
The priesthood of Jesus is not accompanied by a dress code; his mediation is his personhood as the perfect God-man who reigns with the Father!

1 TIMOTHY 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

We also as children of light are called to put on the armor of light; we are called to put on the Lord Jesus Christ (EPH 5:8; 1 THESS 5:5; ROM 13:12,14).

Verses 10-13 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. 11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. 12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the Lord commanded Moses.

...took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it:
The holiness of God demanded a consecration of the place, items and persons who ministered before him (and it still does).
This demand was satisfied by Jesus through his perfect offering and as the perfect offerer.

Christians are anointed by a Spiritual anointing:

1 JOHN 2:20
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

The apostle Paul, speaking to the Corinthians also says it this way: 

2 CORINTHIANS 1:21-22
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. As a guarantee.

The priest and everything they were going to be using to minister before God needed to be anointed in oil; We too need to have the Holy Spirit who is our oil be the one who works in us and through us to serve the Lord in everything we do.

This includes but is not limited to our fellowship with Him, our fellowship with the church, home life; marriage, as hard as it might be at times because we are called to sacrifice and to submit, but Isn’t that what Jesus did for you and for me?
He says he didn’t considered equality with God something to hold on to but he emptied himself. Not only that but he humbled himself and was obedient unto death (PHIL 2:6-8). I’m not saying we have to die physically necessarily but we are called to mortify the flesh (ROM 8:13; COL 3:5)!

Verses 14-17 And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. 15 And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it. 16 And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar. 17 But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the Lord commanded Moses.

The priest made atonement for their own sins before they could mediate for the people.
This shows us that: No one, including the priest is without sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (ROM 3:20-23). Everyone needs and requires forgiveness of sin, no exception!
The death of an animal was necessary, but this could not take away the sins of the people.
The death of Jesus Christ alone achieved complete atonement.
The High Priest Jesus had no need to make atonement for his own sins since he was without sin.

HEBREWS 4:15
 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.

Verses 18-30 And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses. 22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. 24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 

25 And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: 26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: 27 And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord. 28 And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savor: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the Lord: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the Lord commanded Moses. 30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.

Offered up the whole ram in smoke: The complete incineration of the ram indicated the total dedication of the priests to the Lord’s service.

As the priesthood of God, we are called to be living sacrifices presenting our whole lives to the service of our Lord. Like Sonny said when I was born again I in all reality died to myself and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. And as pastor James said we are to have a consuming passion for the Lord and his Kingdom.

The public nature of the consecration that was going on gave the congregation confidence in the effectiveness of the Aaronic order.
Christians can have greater confidence in their acceptance by God through Jesus

EPHESIANS 3:12
Because of Christ and our faith in him,[d] we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:4
Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ.

And furthermore, in Hebrews it says we have the confidence to enter the most Holy Place or Holy of holies by the blood of Jesus.

verses 31-36 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. 32 And that which remains of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire. 33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you. 34 As he hath done this day, so the Lord hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. 35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. 36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Seven days…until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled:
The number seven symbolized the completion of the rituals purpose. Since the ordination rite was about consecration, the priest could not leave the sacred grounds during the ordination week.

Perhaps this week long stay was to impress on the priests the significance of their ordination. Spiritual leaders were instructed not to 'cut corners' in this ceremony.

Two things to consider:

1. We as under shepherds are instructed to teach the Word in season and out of season (2 TIM 4:2). We are instructed to teach the whole counsel of God (ACTS 20:27) no matter how unpopular portions of it may be to some. Why? Because. . . 

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.

2. Those who lead must be obedient to the Lord’s commands. Members of the royal priesthood have no justification for selective obedience to the Lord.
Let us ask for grace so like the Levitical Priests were being prepared and consecrated to the Lord and His service. We too as a church can walk in those good works that the Lord has prepared for us since the foundation of the world (EPH 2:10)!